Corn-grader.



W. A. WERCKLB.

PATENTED MAY 12, 1 908 COZN GRADER. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 2. 1906.

MM me 5 5 0 5 WILLIAM A. WERCKLE, OF PEORIA, ILLINOIS.

CORN-GRADER.

N ssmm.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 12, 1908.

Application filed March 2, 1908. Serial No 303,761.

To all whom it may concern-.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM A. VVERCKLE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Peoria, in the county ofdeoria and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Corn-Graders; and I dohereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, which will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same. I

This invention has reference more particularly to machines forseparating corn into grades according to its shape and size by screeningit through a number of riddles.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive meanswhereby corn can be rapidly separated so as to give a grade of corn ofuniform size and shape suitable for planter use.

Modern corn planters are so constructed that for satisfactory operationthey require flat grains of uniform size, such as are found op themiddle portion of the cob and it has a so been demonstrated that sortedcorn of this character makes a better yield.

My invention provides for sorting or sepcrating corn so that a grade ofthe above nature can be obtained.

In the accompanying drawings, which are made a part hereof and in whichsimilar reference characters indicate similar parts in the severalviews. Figure 1 is an end view of a machine for grading corn,constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2 a side view of thecorn grader of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 a vertical longitudinal sectional view,somewhat enlargcd, on the line a a of Fig. l; t a View of a portion ofwhat is herein termed the first riddle; Fig. 5 a view of a portion ofwhat is herein termed the second riddle; Fig. 6 a view of what is hereintermed the third riddle; and Fig. 7 a detail view showing the bell crankfor vibrating the riddle frame.

1 of the drawings is a rigidly constructed framc'which supports theriddle frame or shoe 2, and the devices for feeding and operating thesaid riddle frame. This riddle '50 frame 2 is loosely contained withinand supiortcd by the frame 1 so as to he capable of lateral vibratorymovement, by means of the metal straps 25 (one near the 0nd of each sideof the riddle frame) which are con nected to the riddle frame near thebottom as at 4; and to the frame 1 as at 5.

The riddle frame 2, sides except as hereinafter mentioned, has the firstriddle 6 inclined longitudinally thereof, as shown, and terminates inthe side discharging gutter or spout 7. This riddle 6 has slotted oroblong perforations 8 extending lengthwise thereof preferably staggeredas shown, the said slotted perforations being, approximately of the sizeshown in Fig. 4 of the drawings, which is sufficient to prevent thepassage of the large round and irregular grains such as are found on thebutt of the cob.

Directly beneath the riddle 6 and parallel therewith is a conveyorsurface or iartition 9, which terminates at its lower end a shortdistance fromthe end wall of the riddle frame, as shown, so as tocollect the deposit from the riddle 6 and convey the same to the upperend of the riddle 10, which is inclined in the opposite direction, asshown. The sidesll of the conveyor surface or partition 9 extend upwarda sufficient distance to prevent spilling of the corn and there ispreferably provided in the side walls of the riddle frame, directlybeneath the riddle 6 a slot or opening l2 extending the whole length ofthe said riddle for the purpose of loosening any grains of mrn that maybecome lodged in the perforations of the riddle.

"he second riddle it), which, as has been indicated, inclines in theinverse direction of the first riddle (i, is provided with roundporforutions l2; and communicates at its lower end through the opening14 in the end wall of the riddle frame with the 0nd discharging spout 15which is contracted as shown at its outlet end. The perforations of thissecond riddle are approximately of the size shown in l ig. 5 and areadapted to prevent passage of the large llat grains of corn thcrethroughbut to permit passage of the medium flat grains and inferior grains ofcorn, such as are found on the tip of the cob, which are collected uponthe conveyor surface or partition 16, which is positioned directlybeneath and par allol with the riddle and terminates at its lower end ashort distance from the end wall 'of the riddle frame so as to conveythe de posit from the said riddle l0 of the upper end of the third orlast riddle 17. This conveyor surface or partition 16 is alsofurnished-with which is closed on all the side walls or guards 18 toprevent spilling of the corn and there are also provided in the sideWalls of the riddle frame and directly below the riddle 10 openings 19extending throughout the entire length of the riddle, whereby access maybe had to the under surface of said riddle to remove any grains of cornthat may become lodged in the perforations of the said riddle.

The riddle 17 which forms the bottom of the riddle frame is inclined inthe opposite direction of the riddle 10 and communicates through anopening 20 in the end wall of the riddle frame with the end dischargingspout 21, which has the outlet end thereof contracted similarly to thespout 15. This riddle 17 is provided with circular perforations 22,somewhat smaller than the perforations 13 of the riddle 10, which are ofsu'llicient size to prevent passage of the medium flat grains of cornbut to allow passage there through of all small grains of corn andchafl'.

For collecting the deposit of small corn and chafl which pass throughthe riddle 17, there is provided on the frame 1 directly beneath theriddle frame a receptacle 23, the bottom of which inclines to a centralaperture 24.

Mounted on the frame 1 at the upper end of the first riddle 6 is ahopper which deposits through a slotted opening 26 extending from sideto side of the machine from oints Within the side walls of the riddlerame. This hopper, is provided with a slide va1ve27, which is operatedby the threaded crank 28 for regulating the size of the dischargeopening and closing the same.

For vibrating the riddle frame, there is provided a bell crank 29mounted on a cross piece 30 on the side of the riddle frame so as tooscillate in a horizontal plane. One arm of this bell crank has aslotted opening 31 which receives the hook end of the projection 32 fromthe side of the riddle frame. The other arm of said crank is connectedby means ol the rod to a pin on the disk 34, which said disk is mountedon the end of the shaft 35, which is journalcd totlie frame 1 andextends from side to side thereof. On the opposite end of said shaft isa small sproc et 36 driven by means of the sprocket *hain 37 from thesprocket 38, which is also mounted on the frame 1 and is provided withthe crank 39 for operating the sanie.

In the 'o )eration of the machine, a supply of corn is deposited in thehopper .35 and the slide valve 27 being open, a suitable distance, aconstant stream is delivered onto ,the first riddle 6. The crank 39 isconstantly turned, which vibrates the com ilete riddle frame laterally,thus agitating the corn on the riddies and assisting the llat grains totip up on edge and fall through the slots 8 of the iirst riddle. Thislateral movement not only ussisis in the screening of the corn through.be thoroughly screened.

vdown the riddle 18, which said rid out through cured to the outer thefirst riddle, hut retards the oi the corn down the inclined riddles sothat it will This first riddle, has been said, permits passagetherethroug of all the grains of corn except the large round andirregular shaped grains whit" found on the butt oithe cob, which p thegutter or spout '7 and are discharged the side of the machine The cornwhich passes through the riddle 6 is caused to y le :tams all the largeilat grains and delivers e same the end The small pass through. theperforations creened by the its the *redir grains which A oi the riddleit) again which no and s collected by 1 ll through opening From theforegoing, it will seen my 1 arhine separates the corn into fourdiatinct grades, of which the which are delivered from t .ut 'lol ansthe medium fiat from the spout ll. are suitable for planter ll liat 1claim is:

A corn grader comprising a statiensuf; rains, a movable frame composedof a l r n like structure formed with closed ends and sides, an inclinedriddle and an inclined pan tition spaced apart and having one of itsends outtiuned and secured directly to the inner face of one of the saidframe ends, said partition having uiturncd sides which provide 10o guideflanges t rou hout its length, a trans verse gutter secured to the otherframe end,

the opposite end of said riddle seat-ire on and supported by the outerside of said gut tor, said partition terminating at points 3.05 spacedfrom hut in horizontal alinenicn't with the bottom of said gutter, andbeing supported at its free end by its said guide flanges, a secondinclined riddle and. partition spaced apart having ouiiurned endssecured directly to the inner lace of the frame and carrying saidgutter, said second riddle being:- sccured to the first named frame endat points aliuing with the bottom of an outlet opening provided in said"first named frame end, said second partition having upturned sideswhich provide guide flanges througgln out its length, an outwardlyprojec' ting gnu tor secured to the outer face. of said iii-at namedframe end to aline with said outlet opening, a third inclined riddlesecured lo the lower end of the iirst named l'rame end. said riddlehaving an outurncd end so "cred to the inner face of the other Home endat points alinin; willrthe lioitoni of an outlet opehin r provided insaid last named i'z'anio cud, and an outward y projecting lace ol thela" frame end in alinement with the bottom of tween each riddle andpartition and are of the same length as said space and of a width toenable access to said space.

' In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature, in presence of twowitnesses.

WM. A. WERCKLE.

Witnesses:

E. M. GILES,

MARY E. CoMEGYs.

